Shoes or overshoes

ABSTRACT

A shoe, which may be in the form of an overshoe, is provided for walking on sticky surfaces such as hot, bituminous adhesive masses without the adherence thereto of the sticky masses which impede walking. The sole of the shoe is formed of a silicone rubber of substantial thickness and strength to resist damage thereto by gravel and stones. The silicone rubber sole also has a high degree of tear resistance and a hard surface. One specific example of silicone rubber has a specific weight of 1.2 and a hardness of 50 Shore.

United States Patent [191 Lobmeier et a1.

[ Apr. 23, 1974 SHOES OR OVERSHOES Inventors: Albert Lobmeier,Froschlock 8, 46

Dortmund-Hombruch; Georg Albrecht, Moosburgerstr. 4, 848Weiden/Oberpfalz, both of Germany Filed: Feb. 12, 1973 Appl. No.:332,032

US. Cl 36/32 R Int. Cl A43b 13/04 Field of Search 36/7.1, 7.3, 4, 32 R,34 A,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1968 Kaplan Jackson 36/733,365,821 1/1968 Cottier 36/4 Primary Examiner-Patrick D. LawsonAttorney, Agent, or Firm -Fitch, Even, Tabin &

Luedeka [5 7] ABSTRACT A shoe, which may be in the form of an overshoe,is provided for walking on sticky surfaces such as hot, bituminousadhesive masses without the adherence thereto of the sticky masses whichimpede walking. The sole of the shoe is formed of a silicone rubber ofsubstantial thickness and strength to resist damage thereto by graveland stones. The silicone rubber sole also has a high degree of tearresistance and a hard surface. One specific example of silicone rubberhas a specific weight of 1.2 and a hardness of 50 Shore.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures SHOES OR OVERSHOES The present inventionrelates to shoes or overshoes having a sole which prevents adherence ofadhesive masses and particularly of bituminous, hot flowable adhesivemasses thereto.

During the application of bituminous, hot flowable adhesive masses, andalso during the application of other adhesive masses, e.g. when roofingflat roofs and applying tar or the like in road construction, theworking personel are impeded from freely walking by adhesive mass layersof the just applied,and still viscous and adhering masses.

In particular, the applied masses stick to the soles of the shoes of theoperators, so that the soles have to be cleaned repeatedly; otherwise, alayer of substantial thickness would form on the underside of the solesof the shoes, which layer is not only cumbersome, but also dangerous.

Therefore, it is the object of the invention to provide shoes orovershoes which positively prevent the just applied adhesive masses fromadhering thereto, which, furthermore, may be manifactured readily andeconomically, and which are comfortably and safely to be worn by theuser.

According to the invention, this object is solved in that there are usedshoes having a sole of silicone rubber or galoshes-type overshoeslikewise having soles of silicone rubber.

It is absolutely surprising to the expert that the use of siliconerubber as shoe soles completely prevents sticking or adhering even inthe case of highly adhering bituminous masses, whereby no such materialat all sticks to the shoe soles, although the surface pressure under theshoe soles in part may reach substantial values.

Advantageously, there is used a silicone rubber which has a high degreeof tear resistance and which has a hard surface.

In the following, exemplary embodiments of the invention are explainedin greater detail by referring to the enclosed drawing, whereby FIG. 1shows a shoe having a shoe sole 2 according to the invention made ofsilicone rubber, and

FIG. 2 shows a galoshes-type overshoe 7 which likewise has a sole 2 ofsilicone rubber.

The subject matter of the invention may be either a shoe having a solidsole of silicone rubber which has the shaft and foot portion 3vulcanized thereto in the form of a rubber overshoe, or the siliconerubber may be sewed or bonded to the shaft and foot portion consistingof leather.

The sole of silicone rubber may consist of a single piece; alternativelyand according to the invention, the silicone rubber layer may be appliedto a sole layer of a shoe or overshoe.

In order to avoid destruction of the silicone rubber sole, it is ofparticular advantage to use a silicone rubber of high strength so thatit is not damaged, e.g. by gravel or other sharp-edged stones.

A material that has been found to be suitable is a silicone rubberhaving the tradename I 36"; Transparent, specific weight 1.2,approximately 50 shores of hardness, of the firm pampus K.G.

The use of the silicone rubber sold under the name Simrit by the firmFreudenberg KG, Weinheim a.d. Bergstrasse, has groved to be ofparticular advantage.

The shoes and overshoes according to the invention have a long servicelife, they are comfortable when worn, and they provide increased safetyto their wearer because sticking of material thereto is positivelyprevented, so that the wearer is no longer impeded by the adhesive masslayers sticking to the shoes. Thus, the subject matter of the inventionexhibits it self in surprisingly progressive fashion.

In another embodiment of the invention, the sole and the shaft portionmay be formed integrally, and both parts may consist of silicone rubber.

We claim:

1. A shoe for walking on sticky surfaces such as freshly bituminizedroofs comprising soles for walking on said sticky surfaces, said soleshaving a substantially continuous, uninterrupted lower surface ofsilicone rubber for engaging said sticky surface, said sole having asubstantial thickness and high strength to resist damage by gravel andstones, said silicone rubber having a high degree of tear resistance anda hard surface on said sole.

2. A shoe in accordance with claim 5 in which said silicone rubber has aspecific weight of 1.2 and a hardness of about 50 Shore.

3. A shoe according to claim 1 formed as a goulash overshoe, saidovershoe having a foot portion formed of rubber, said silicone rubbersole being bonded to said rubber foot portion for engaging said stickysurface.

4. An overshoe in accordance with claim 3 in which an upper shaftportion is provided on said goulash type overshoe and in which said soleand said shaft portion are formed integrally and consist of siliconerubber.

5. An overshoe in accordance with claim 4 in which said shaft comprisesin a circularly wound strip terminating at the front of the shoe in atoe cap and at the rear end in a heel web, and a holding strap portionformed on said overshoe for extending over the instep of another shoe tosecure the overshoe to the other shoe.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent: NQ.3,805,411 Dated April 23, 1914 Inv entor(s) Albe rt Lobmeier and GeorgvAlbrecht It is certified that error appears in the above-identifiedpatent and that said Letters Patent art; herebycorrect' ed as shownbelow:'

Column 2, line 35 "Claim 5" should read -Claim 1-- Signed and sealedthis 10th day of September 19m.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON; JR. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer- Commissioner ofPatents Fil 32593 FORM po'mso "$59, uscmmoc nova-nu 'I u.s. ovum-nu mumsomcl: mo-

1. A shoe for walking on sticky surfaces such as freshly bituminizedroofs comprising soles for walking on said sticky surfaces, said soleshaving a substantially continuous, uninterrupted lower surface ofsilicone rubber for engaging said sticky surface, said sole having asubstantial thickness and high strength to resist damage by gravel andstones, said silicone rubber having a high degree of tear resistance anda hard surface on said sole.
 2. A shoe in accordance with claim 5 inwhich said silicone rubber has a specific weight of 1.2 and a hardnessof about 50 Shore.
 3. A shoe according to claim 1 formed as a goulashovershoe, said overshoe having a foot portion formed of rubber, saidsilicone rubber sole being bonded to said rubber foot portion forengaging said sticky surface.
 4. An overshoe in accordance with claim 3in which an upper shaft portion is provided on said goulash typeovershoe and in which said sole and said shaft portion are formedintegrally and consist of silicone rubber.
 5. An overshoe in accordancewith claim 4 in which said shaft comprises in a circularly wound stripterminating at the front of the shoe in a toe cap and at the rear end ina heel web, and a holding strap portion formed on said overshoe forextending over the instep of another shoe to secure the overshoe to theother shoe.